Global Champions Event Features $1 Million Matching Gift
Posted by
Joy Hallinan
New York City, New York
February 20, 2013
Johnson & Johnson's generosity will support our
efforts to create an AIDS-free generation.
Tonight at the Mandarin Oriental in New York, over 270 guests gathered to celebrate the beginning of the end of AIDS at the inaugural
Global Champions of A Mother's Fight Awards Dinner. Willow Bay, co-chairman of the
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, announced that Johnson & Johnson will match 1 to 1 all contributions to the Foundation up to $1 million between now and Mother’s Day. “Johnson & Johnson was one of our very first corporate partners,” she said, “and (they’ve) remained committed to making a mother’s fight (their) fight ever since.”
Arianna Huffington, Chair, President and Editor-in-Chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, was Master of Ceremonies. Awards were presented by Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo.
Speakers included Charles Lyons, President and CEO of the Foundation;
Jake Glaser, son of Elizabeth Glaser; and
Florence Ngobeni-Allen, a global advocate for the Foundation from South Africa.
Guests were entertained by two-time Grammy award-winning R & B artist
Melanie Fiona.
Alex Gorsky, CEO of Johnson & Johnson accepted the Corporate Champion Award on behalf of Johnson & Johnson’s leadership and dedication to creating an AIDS-free generation.
Amy Towers, Founder of the Nduna Foundation, accepted the Humanitarian Award, and Cookie Johnson, philanthropist and board member of
The Magic Johnson Foundation, accepted the Global Advocate Award.
The menu was designed by Iron Chef Cat Cora, the founder of
Chefs for Humanity. The event décor, designed by Jason Wu and model Karlie Kloss, was influenced by a photograph of a mother and child taken in Tanzania by photographer Nigel Barker. The event decor featured centerpieces with thank-you letters from mothers and children from sub-Saharan Africa, and tablecloths designed with Jason Wu fabric from a collection modeled by Karlie Kloss. The stage furniture was also designed by Jason Wu, and is part of his collection for Canvas.
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation wishes to thank the twenty-three major sponsors, including media sponsor the Huffington Post, for supporting this event.
The Global Champions awards recognize longtime leaders in the fight to end pediatric AIDS and create an “AIDS-free generation.”
Joy Hallinan is the Foundation's Development Director, based in Atlanta, Georgia.